Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission
OVERVIEW
Development of Harvest Strategies
Tony Beeching
Assistant Science Manager
WCPFC Convention Area
Key Tuna Species
(Provisional Total Catch in the WCPO in 2013 = 2,621,511 mt)
Bigeye Tuna (158,662 mt)
Yellowfin Tuna (535,656 mt)
Skipjack Tuna (1,784,091 mt)
Albacore Tuna (143,102 mt)
41 Countries/Territories Involved
• 26 Members
(FFA)(PNA) Australia, Cook, FSM, Fiji, Kiribati, RMI, Nauru,
NZ, Niue, Palau, PNG, Samoa, Solomon, Tonga, Tuvalu,
Vanuatu
(Non-FFA) Canada, China, EU, France, Indonesia, Japan,
Korea, Philippines, Chinese Taipei, USA
• 7 Territories
A. Samoa, CNMI, F. Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Tokelau,
Wallis and Futuna
• 8 Cooperating Non-Members
Ecuador, El Salvador, Liberia, Mexico, Panama, Senegal,
Thailand and Vietnam.
Developing a Harvest Strategy
(a recent history of the WCPFC MOW process)
• 2008: SC4 development of RPs; need for intercessional
Management Objectives Workshop (MOW).
• 2009 - 2011: Work on developing LRPs, and agreeing ToRs for
MOW
• 2012 – 2014: MOW process
• 2015: MOW4
MOWs: Informal opportunity to express views without
commitment
Informal meetings - no formal standing in the Commission – the
do NOT pre-empt future views or positions.
MOW1 To assist the Commission to understand:
 the purpose and implications of management objectives
appropriate reference points
 the process of evaluating potential management measures
in the achievement of management objectives.
 Develop a list of recommended management objectives
2012
MOW1: Educational and informative
 Expert panel to refine candidate objectives; performance
indicators and RPs for WCPFC fisheries
Independent expertise:
 Dr Robin Allen
 Dr James Ianelli
Facilitator:
 Ian Cartwright
Plus: SPC & FFA
WCPFC9 agreed LRP 20% SB F=0
Kobe MSE e-WG formed
Quick and Dirty Survey
Members Objectives
Reference Points
WCPFC adopts a hierarchical approach
Initial drive for F-based LRPs but…
… later the Commission ‘rejected’ analysis based on F-levels
compatible with SB LRP levels
Use of Fishing Mortality now refocused on TRP discussions (and
HCR performance measures)
Management Framework
Biological
constraints
Limit reference
points
Management Objectives
Social
Economic
Biological
Target reference points
Ecosystem
(where you want to be)
Multispecies
considerations
(where not to go)
Acceptable
Risk
Adaptive Management Cycle
Stock
Assessment
Performance
Indicators
Harvest Control
Rule
(where we think we are)
(How are we doing?)
(defines management action)
Fisheries being
managed
Management
action
2013
ISSF San Diego RP Workshop
MOW2
External panel draft a consultative document [Strawman] –
presented to WPCFC Subcommittees, MOW and regulars session
of the WCPFC.
Workshop Focus on target reference points consistent with the
objectives developed in MOW1 i.e. economics with
consideration of spatial issues etc.
MOW recommended: interim/provisional TRP be set for SKJ P/S
fishery, not precluding a parallel development of a management
framework and process - Process to include how MSE can be
applied in general and more specifically in the case of an interim
provisional TRP for SKJ.
2014
MOW3 [1day]:
 Considered a TRP for SKJ and associated multispecies
impacts (PNA:50%) (Japan:60%)
 SPC Presentations on methods for determining risk levels
to be associated with LRPs; plus explanation of
uncertainty
 Reviewed a proposed new HS measure
Kobe Plot Variations
CMM-2014-06
WCPFC11 adopted CMM 2014-06 HS approach.
Para 13:
 By Dec 2015 agree a harvest strategy work-plan and indicative
timeframes for:
 Skipjack
 Bigeye
 Yellowfin
 South Pacific albacore
 Pacific bluefin
 northern albacore
 Work-plan subject to review in 2017.
 The Commission may agree timeframes to adopt harvest strategies for
other fisheries or stocks.
Para 14 – plans to include required resources and associated budget
2015
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ISSF Monterey HCR and uncertainty WS 
ISC MSE WS 
MOW4 preparatory meeting likely late May/early June.
ABNJ WS, including Kobe MSE e-WG, end June/early July
WWF MOW workshop – Date? Agenda?
MOW4 – likely focus CMM-2014-06 (SKJ & SPA)
WCPFC MOW External Funding
• EU: MSE dedicated SPC staff member, and external MSE
expert panel – to review and advise
• ABNJ: support to hold MOW4 December
• ABNJ: funds to WWF to hold a capacity building MOW
Thank you….